Emily Maitlis (born 6 September 1970) is a British journalist and newsreader for the BBC. She presents news programming across the national television channels of the BBC, including Newsnight and bulletins on BBC One and the BBC News Channel. In January 2014, she became acting political editor of Newsnight until the maternity leave of Allegra Stratton ended later that year.

Maitlis is now one of the main presenters of Newsnight on BBC Two, with Evan Davis and Kirsty Wark. She also presents relief shifts on the BBC News channel, including the BBC News at Five, and may occasionally present the BBC News at One which is also broadcast on BBC One. Maitlis was a regular presenter on BBC News during 2006, joining as part of a new line-up in April to present alongside Ben Brown from 7 pm to 10 pm during the week, but was replaced by Joanna Gosling when she went on maternity leave. On Maitlis' return, she began presenting Mondays 2 pm–5 pm alongside Jon Sopel until 20.13, and currently Simon McCoy on Mondays.

During 2005, Maitlis appeared as the question-master on the game show The National Lottery: Come And Have A Go. She has also presented BBC Breakfast.

From May 2006 until July 2007, she presented STORYFix on BBC News, a light-hearted look at the week's news set to up-beat music.

In July 2007, Maitlis was appointed as a contributing editor to The Spectator magazine, an unpaid post. This had been approved by her immediate boss, the head of BBC TV news Peter Horrocks, but the decision was subsequently overturned by his superior, the BBC News director Helen Boaden.[4]

In 2012, Maitlis presented the US 2012 programme on BBC One and the BBC News Channel alongside David Dimbleby, when US President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney were fighting to the presidency for the US. In 2016, she began presenting a news discussion programme called The World This Week on BBC Two late afternoon on Saturdays.

From a Jewish family background, Emily Maitlis is the daughter of Professor Peter Maitlis, FRS, Emeritus Professor of Inorganic Chemistry at the University of Sheffield, and Marion Maitlis. She is married to Mark Gwynne, an investment manager, who she has referred to as "my Catholic boy". They have two children.[5][6]

During 2002, it was reported that Maitlis had been stalked for six years by a former university friend, Edward Vines. The former student, 32, pursued Maitlis with correspondence, and would appear at her place of work. He admitted harassing Maitlis and was sentenced to four months' imprisonment.[7] In September 2016 the same man was sentenced to three years' imprisonment for breach of a restraining order in respect of Maitlis.[8]

In March 2007, David Decoteau, a 45-year-old convicted rapist, was sentenced to four life sentences whilst on probation, following another assault that had remained unsolved since 1996. During the trial, it was revealed that Decoteau had an "unhealthy fixation" with Maitlis, and that he kept photographs of Maitlis on the wall of his probation hostel room and had written to her from prison. He was described as being "fascinated" with TV newsreaders Fiona Bruce and Nina Hossain.[9]

^"'Flirtation, seduction and betrayal'", – interview, The Guardian, 6 March 2006. Retrieved on 14 July 2007. "Maitlis, who speaks fluent Spanish, Italian and French (and "crap" Mandarin), is no easy touch."